Niviane and what's a story

Much of my day has revolved around a little black ball of fluff with tiny needle-like claws. Kitty and I visited the vet today to have her checked over -- when I made the appointment I told them her name is Niviane, so I guess that's that -- and the vet said everything looked good. I also had them trim her claws, so she can start getting used to the sensation.

Nail clipping is something we never did with Vash or Chiana, and I have the scars to prove it.

Today I also introduced her to Cat Dancer, which is hands-down the best cat toy I've ever used. It's freakishly simple and stupid looking, just springy steel wire and rolled cardboard, and yet every cat I've ever exposed it to can't get enough. For only $3 plus tax, you too can know the strange joy inherent in Cat Dancer: The Action Cat Toy.

I'm sure the cat talk will die down soon, so don't let me scare you away if it's not your thing.

Speaking of writing, I spent most of yesterday reading about the business of writing. And I read Ben Bova's answer in "The Craft of Writing Science Fiction That Sells" to What is story? as a narrative description of a character struggling to solve a problem. I like that definition and it's given me new insights into what I'm trying to accomplish here.

To put it into practice and in the hopes of adding depth, I'm going back over a story that's been rejected and adding some inner emotional problems to go with the outer physical problems. We'll see if it works soon enough.